3 On Your Side: Where To Complain About Surprise Medical Bills
By Jim Donovan
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- They go in for medical treatment and come out with a big surprise. Recovering patients hit with hospital and doctor charges that don't even make sense. As 3 On Your Side Consumer Reporter Jim Donovan finds, it's not as uncommon as you might think.
Jeremy Weintraub expected discomfort after hernia surgery, but the real pain came from an unexpected medical bill for more than $20,000! And he's not alone. According to a new report, nearly one in three Americans with private insurance have been hit with a surprise medical bill.
"It's very common," says Betsy Imholz from Consumers Union. She worked on the study and found among the most common surprises: Bills for treatments or services that weren't delivered; higher than expected bills; or in Jeremy's case being charged an out-of-network rate when his hospital assured him the procedure would be in-network.
That left Jeremy and many like him with just two options, pay or appeal. But Imholz believes most end up paying because they don't know they can appeal. She says, "This is a problem that puts consumers in the middle of negotiations between the hospital and the doctor."
The study found only three percent of patients first contacted a non-profit or consumer assistance organization. Ultimately, Jeremy did complain and his bill was forgiven. But advocates say they need more complaints to truly fix the problem.
New York state recently passed legislation that provides consumers with the strongest protections in the nation against surprise out-of-network insurance charges. Hopefully other states will follow their lead.
In the meantime, Consumers Union has compiled a state-by-state list of agencies and advocacy organizations available to help consumers when the encounter a problem. Visit:
